The Milky Way Express- Chapter III. The Coolest Train Ever

The two-hour plane ride started at the right time. Solus was sitting in the seats ahead of Allan, George and Irica, behind whom were Kristie, Lexi and Daniel.

Solus took out a magazine to distract himself, when two people sat on the seats beside him. When he looked to see who it was, it was Charles Starks, his best friend from high school (who had also been his faithful sidekick..) with a beautiful girl. Solus said, “Charles?”

Charles looked around and the puzzlement on his face turned to delight. He thumped Solus hard on the shoulder and said, “Hey bud! Long time no see! What’re you going to do in Los Angeles anyway?”

Solus thought hard. No matter how he wanted to show off, he couldn’t tell the truth. SSO was a complete secret.

“I umm… I’m taking my family and friends on a vacation.”

“I know where. Around the Milky Way, Solus.” 

Solus widened his eyes. “How do you know!?”

“Because my fiancee Jill is in the SSO too! 

“No, my fiancée Jill is. Pardon me, I forgot to introduce you… Hey Jill, this is my school friend Solus Illies, and Solus, my fiancée Jill.”

They shook hands. 

It was very awkward.

Charles said, "By the way, we're coming on the express, too!"

Solus was happier than ever. He quickly turned behind and said, “Hey guys, my friend, and his going-to-be-wife are joining us.”

Lexi was ecstatic. This trip was going to be the best!

Two hours later, the triple-trio was standing outside the headquarters of SSO. It just looked like an old ruin.

Solus told them, “It’s painted grey and has senseless doodles on it to keep people out.”

That was indeed the description. There was also a sign that read, “KEEP OUT. BARBARIAN TRIBES USUALLY SEEK REFUGE IN THIS BUILDING AND WILL ATTACK ANYONE THEY SEE.”

Charles said, “That’s a clever way to keep people out.”

They all went in. They saw a blank wall in front of them, with a small slit under it. Jill took out a card and slid it through the slit, and the wall opened. The wall was a door, designed like a wall.

“Hey, Illies man!”, said a stocky-looking man as they entered, “And Miss R- no Mrs Starks, growing prettier every year...”

Jill, shook her head, so that her golden hair flew around, “Okay, stop it now, Mr Max! We’ve all booked the MWE! By the way, I’m not Mrs. Starks yet, I’m still Miss. Ryan.”

The man, Mr. Max said, “Oh. Forgive me, what does the MWE mean?”

Jill replied angrily, “The Milky Way Express, you idiot!”

Mr. Max distorted his face and said, “Oh. I’m afraid I do not know where that is. Please ask Miss Singh.”, and walked off.

Solus said, annoyed, “How on earth could he get a place in SSO?!”

Jill agreed, “I know right! Let’s just go to Miss. Singh.”

They then entered a cabin at a corner.

A warm-looking young woman sat there, talking into a strange-looking device, “I will inform you as soon as they arrive-”, she saw the people entering her room, “-ah! What a coincidence! They’re here, Sarn Wae. Arrive now!”

She put down that device. She said, “Space talkers. Work better than phones - ah - Mr. Illies and Miss. Ryan. Anyway, the express is currently a little away from human sight. They’ll be here in a few minutes to get you. So, I’ll be giving you some info- your driver would be the Gabrielian Qewr Tyup. Q - e - w - r Tyup. Additionally, some people from Acely will be there. ”

“Is Acely a planet?”, Lexi asked in astonishment. 

“Yep. I can see someone’s excited for a journey”, Miss. Singh replied, smiling.

Just then, the ‘Space Talker’ buzzed. “The lift for you is here!” She picked up the phone. “Hi, Sarn Wae. Yes, yes I am coming, hold on..” 

She put down the Space Talker. “Follow me”, she said. Everyone obeyed. As they got out of the headquarters into the launching area, they saw a truly fascinating sight ahead of them, a spectacular train in an attractive neon-orange shade and crystal clear glass windows.

They saw a woman with a very strange suit- it looked like a mixture of a businessman’s suit and a jumpsuit. She had blue hair, blue lips, blue eyes.“Thank God she doesn’t have blue skin.” thought Lexi.

She said, “Hello, Samara Singh! Are these the people?”

Lexi found this lady very weird. Miss. Singh said, “Yes, Tenissi Opal. People, this is Tenissi Opal, from Gabriel, your train attendant.”

Tenissi Opal said, “What are your names? Tell them quickly when I ask. Who is this blonde-haired girl?”

“I’m Lexi Aden.”

“Ok. Who is the golden-haired princess?”

“Stop calling me that! I’m Jill Ryan, anyway.”

“Ok, ok. Who is the taller redhead?”

“Err… Solus Illies.”

“And the shorter redhead?”

“Myself, Allan Illies.”

“Miss. black-hair?”

“Irica Warner.”

“Mister black-hair?”

“Me? Oh right, err… George Warner.”

“Miss. pink hair?”

“Does it look nice? I dyed it last night. I’m Kristie Aden, by the way.”

“Mr. Burnt hair?”

“Are you asking me?! I’ve not burned it, alright!? It’s in the umber color, my natural hair color. Whatever, I’m Daniel Aden.”

“And you, Mr. Orange-hair?”

“Charles Starks. Can we go in now?”

“Of course you can.”

Miss. Singh told them, “Be safe, people!”

Jill said, “We will, Miss. Singh. Bye. Meet you in four months.”

She laughed, “Funnily enough, it’s going to be exactly four minutes for me… and the other Earth people. I’ll be waiting here!”

They got in and gave a last wave to Miss. Singh. Then, they heard Tenissi Opall, “Guys, let me show you your rooms.”

They began to follow her. She gave each one of them a business jumpsuit like the one she was wearing. Lexi said, “Gosh, I’m not wearing a business jumpsuit.”

Tenissi Opal said, “What do you mean by a bizness-jumpsoot? If you’re talking about these, they’re compulsory for oxygen.”

Everyone put them on. George looked down at himself, “It looks like I’m in my PJs.”

Tenissi Opal asked, “What are PJs?”

Lexi said, “Uhh...they’re the clothes we wear at night while sleeping.”

Tenissi Opal said, “Oooh...you guys have different clothes while sleeping and different clothes while you are awake?”

“Err… yeah, that’s right.”

“You Earth people are very strange.”

Kristie folded her arms, “You forgot to add ‘no offense’, Tenissi Opal.”

“Oh, don’t call me by my full name. Call me Tennis.”

Allan laughed, “Do you know that Tennis is a sport on Earth?”

Tennis looked delighted. “Is it? Oh, oh, you have got to tell me all about it! How it is played, where it is played, all that stuff. Maybe you guys are not weird after all! Anyway, let’s continue the tour!”

They saw through the deluxe rooms, cafe, medical area, library, telescope room, observation room, and, the most fascinating of all, the glass see-through area. You could observe the universe as if floating through it.

Tennis said, “Once we launch, this is my favorite place to come.”

George looked around, “I tell you it’ll be mine, too.”

Everyone bid a last goodbye to Miss. Singh through the glass windows of the room. Miss Singh shouted, “See you in four minutes, people!”

Jill shouted back, “See you in four months, Miss!”

They moved towards the rooms. There was one triplex and three duplexes. The Aden siblings chose the triplex, the Warner siblings chose the 1st duplex, the Illies brothers took the 2nd duplex and the 3rd duplex was taken by Jill and Charles